A Crisis in Search of a Label

The author argues that the conflict in Darfur is not a genocide but a complex extension of Sudan's southern civil war, driven by political rifts within the government and opposition. The paper critiques the racialization of the conflict as 'Arab' versus 'African' and warns against US military intervention or punitive sanctions, advocating instead for the completion of the Naivasha peace process and the application of consistent international human rights standards across Africa and globally.

• The author contends that the situation in Darfur should be viewed as a genocide that could happen and must be prevented, rather than one that has already occurred and must be punished.
• The conflict in Darfur is described as a continuation of the southern Sudanese civil war, resulting from splits within the ruling circles in Khartoum and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). This has led to the rise of anti-government militias: the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), linked to the Islamist faction of Hassan al-Turabi, and the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), linked to the SPLA.
• The author argues that the 'Arab' versus 'African' framing of the conflict is a racialized representation. In Darfur, 'Arab' is often a cultural identity (referring to Arabic speakers) or a political identity promoted by the Khartoum government, rather than a distinct ethnic group, as all parties involved are described as 'equally indigenous and equally black.'
• The Janjaweed are characterized as proxies of the security cabal in Khartoum. While the author asserts the Sudan government must be held responsible for the atrocities committed by these militias, they note that the Janjaweed are not a single organization under unified command and reflect a broader African trend of proxy warfare.
• The author proposes a three-pronged approach to restoring peace: completing the Naivasha peace process to change the government in Khartoum; neutralizing or reorganizing militias through local civic conferences and civil defense forces (potentially under an African Union policing force); and expanding the Naivasha process to include previously excluded parties to reorganize civil administration in Darfur.
• The paper critiques the selective application of international standards, noting that while Darfur is labeled the 'worst humanitarian crisis,' other regions with high death tolls—such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (over 4 million dead in five years) and northern Uganda—do not receive the same level of international attention, partly because their governments are US allies in the 'war on terror.'
• The author warns against US military intervention and punitive sanctions, citing the example of UN sanctions in Iraq which resulted in an estimated 300,000 'excess deaths' of children under five. Instead, the author advocates for targeting individuals through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and urges the US to ratify the ICC treaty.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2008). A Crisis in Search of a Label. https://saiia.org.za/research/a-crisis-in-search-of-a-label/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. A Crisis in Search of a Label. 2008. https://saiia.org.za/research/a-crisis-in-search-of-a-label/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=A Crisis in Search of a Label |date=25 April 2008 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/a-crisis-in-search-of-a-label/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2008crisis, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{A Crisis in Search of a Label}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2008}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/a-crisis-in-search-of-a-label/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }